Is German Chocolate Cake Really German?

No. But the real reason for its name may surprise you.

There’s no getting around it — German Chocolate Cake did not originate in Germany. This is a common misconception. But the real story is actually pretty interesting.

Here’s what happened…

In 1852, an American named Sam German developed a sweet baking chocolate for Baker’s Chocolate Company. Neither Sam nor Baker’s were German. The company went on to name the product Baker’s German’s Sweet Chocolate, after its creator.

It wasn’t until over a hundred years later that the next part of the story developed.

On June 3, 1957, the Dallas Morning Star printed a “Recipe of the Day,” created by a homemaker named Mrs. George Clay, called “German’s Chocolate Cake.” The recipe called for the chocolate Sam German developed 105 years prior, and it became a huge hit.

The making of a national staple

The recipe for German’s Chocolate Cake was so popular that General Foods, which owned the Baker’s brand at the time, took notice. The company distributed the recipe to other newspapers in the US and sales for the chocolate skyrocketed!

Over the years, the cake became a national staple and today even has its own national holiday on June 11.

Eventually the possessive form (German’s) was dropped, making it “German Chocolate Cake.”

And there you have it — German Chocolate Cake isn’t German at all. It’s just named after the guy who developed the chocolate that was later used in a popular recipe.

Now, to complete your research, might we suggest ordering a German Chocolate Cake? You should always check your sources